Peter Thomas Senese: The I CARE Foundation's 2013 Strategic Goals To Fight Child Abduction

The following itemized list are the priorities of the I CARE Foundation as we continue to play our part protecting children and families from international parental child abduction, international child trafficking, and child slavery.

2012 was a very good year for the I CARE Foundation to build upon.  However, the reality is that the fight we fight is similiar to the biblical story of David vs. Goliath. 

Still, where there are hearts of goodness committed to acts of goodness, anything is possible.  This notion is one we believe and is exemplifed by the many miracles that we created this past year - playing key roles in reuniting many kidnapped children.

But the work we need to do . . . we really do believe that if our legislative policy initiatives are passed, we will cripple the mountain of abduction.

The following are the priorities of the I CARE Foundation's outreach and stewardship:


What Needs To Be Done

 

1. Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction inbound member-state signatories need to adhere to the spirit of the international treaty and act to expeditiously decide on litigation concerning the return of the child. The I CARE Foundation will launch a research study on time-related matters connected to international child abduction and use our findings to educate policymakers and administrators around the world.
2. Courts in signatory member-states must act fairly and without bias so the international treaty is upheld. The I CARE Foundation will launch a research study on bias-related matters connected to international child abduction and use our findings to educate policymakers and administrators around the world
3. Judges in courts all over the world who preside over IPCA cases must be well-trained on all matters of IPCA, including the reality that abduction is a severe and abusive crime against a child that enables an abductor to further abuse a child during the time litigation brought by a targeted parent occurs.  Furthermore, courts and their judges must act to counter-balance any stall tactics implemented by an abductor or their legal counsel as such activity is often implemented to strategically financially break the chasing parent due to the extreme cost chasing parents face when trying to reunite with their kidnapped child. Of course, the courts must enforce the universally recognized notion amongst signatory nations that IPCA is extreme abuse, and extreme abuse is not in the best interest of any child. The I CARE Foundation will release our research study on court-education and judge competancy connected to international child abduction and use our findings to educate policymakers and administrators around the world
4. Sanctions by Hague member-nations against non-complying Hague member-nations must simply not be discussed but enacted. The collateral damage of innocent children in lieu of other foreign policy issues should not be acceptable under any circumstance.  The I CARE Foundation will seek to educate lawmakers in the United States about the costs related to collatreal damage, while also creating a grass-roots educational awarenss campaign stating that collateral damage of children due to policy initiatives is not acceptable, particularly when we're talking about over 100,000 American children's lives over the next 10 year.
5. The I CARE Foundation will participate in the production of the upcoming feature documentary film, '150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children'.
6. New state and federal laws (in Canada, provincial and national laws) geared toward child abduction and child trafficking must be created and upheld by both law enforcement and courts.  This includes the I CARE Foundation's initiatives to have the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative modifed, and, to create a Secondary Prevent Departure Program.  It is the belief of the I CARE Foundation that such initiatives will put a significant stop-gap in abduction.
7. In the United States, the Senate passed SR 543, which resolved that the American government and all agencies charged with a role in preventing or reuniting internationally kidnapped children use all legal remedies available to them under law to help children, including consideration of criminal prosecution of abductors and those who have aided or abetted in a kidnappers activity. It is imperative that individuals who conspire to or actually abduct or aid in an abduction of a child are prosecuted.  The I CARE Foundation will be releasing a study that addresses this matter.
8. IPCA is a criminal act of kidnapping under the International Kidnapping Crimes Act. The act of kidnapping of any form is an inhumane act. Kidnappers who flee to another country must be extradited back to the country where the abduction took place. Thus, it is critical that new agreements are created between many countries that allow for extradition of parents who kidnap, which unfortunately does not exist today.  The I CARE Foundation will work to educate lawmakers and policy administrators about the importance of this issue.
9. Parents everywhere must be aware that IPCA is real, growing, and could potentially impact their lives, particularly in an ever-growing multi-cultural global society where individuals from different nations create relationships that result in the birth of a child, and, the prevalence of divorce in society. Critically, the I CARE Foundation will continue to act as stewards and share the message that IPCA is a real issue that all parents must be aware of.
10. Continued research in the area of IPCA must be conducted.  The I CARE Foundation will continue conducting and publishing an assortment of research in this area.
11. And whenever possible, the I CARE Foundation will attempt to help families in crisis.
12. We will continue to build our attorney network while also continuing our efforts to recruit qualified lawyers to participate in the U.S. Department of State's Hague Attorney Network.
13. We will continue our efforts to share our research on the world stage.
14. We will continue to build strategic NGO partnerships with organizations committed to protecting children and assisting families in crisis.

The I CARE Foundation has come a long way from the seedling of a book - Chasing The Cyclone.  There is a great deal of work to be done, and we are committed to continuing to play our part in assisting families in crisis.  Truth is, child abduction does impact too many lives. 

Our work continues.

And to those of you who have shown your spirited support, we thank you for your kind gestures and words.  They do matter and make a difference in all of our lives.

Kindest regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senese
Founding Director
The I CARE Foundation

Peter Thomas Senese Makes Significant Donation To The I CARE Foundation

                                          THE I CARE FOUNDATION 

At the beginning of the New Year, I made a series of financial donations to the I CARE Foundation for operations expenses and to assist children of international parental child abduction.  In addition, I pledged to donate 100% of my e-book royalites from my international thrillers including 'Chasing The Cyclone', 'The Den of the Assassin', and 'Cloning Christ' to the I CARE Foundation outside of any other contributions I intended. 

Now, as a best-selling, independent author, and having never released any of my novels in e-book format previously, there was anticipation that e-book sales would be promising. They have been. And so too has the work of the foundation!

Since the time that I announced that I would donate my writing's proceeds to help children of abduction, this is what we have accomplished.

1. The I CARE Foundation has helped recover a significant number of internationally abducted children.

2. The I CARE Foundation has helped prevent a large number of international kidnappings.

3. The I CARE Foundation has continued to build a national pro bono network of attorneys willing to assist at-risk children.

4. The I CARE Foundation has worked hard to continue to create new laws that will protect at-risk children.

5. The I CARE Foundation has created various campaigns to help raise awarenss of child abduction so children can be protected. 

There is so much more, and I personally take helping at-risk children as important social responsibility.

As as writer, I must say, the creation of the I CARE Foundation started with a seed. That seed? The publication of Chasing The Cyclone.

Yes - the power of a book is real!

Here below is the promise I made nearly a year ago to help others. Here are sworn testimonials from other parents who I and the I CARE Foundation have helped along the way. They speak loud and clear. 

Best-selling Author Peter Senese Makes Significant Contribution To I CARE Foundation To Help Stop International Child Abduction 

Best-selling author Peter Senese is pleased to announce a series of previously fulfilled and ongoing pledges to the not-for-profit organization, The I CARE Foundation, which was created to help stop international child abduction. 

Peter Senese has donated 100% of his e-book royalties earned from sales of 'Chasing The Cyclone', 'The Den of the Assassin', and 'Cloning Christ' to the organization dedicated to conducting research and raising social awareness of international abduction issues, while creating legislative initiatives that will help curtail abduction. 

One of the present and successful campaigns of the I CARE Foundation is to assist the United States Department of State build a pro bono network of attorneys willing to assist targeted parents of child abduction. Over the past three weeks, the I CARE Foundation has assisted in the reunification of 4 abducted children with their families.

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Peter Thomas Senese' CHASING THE CYCLONE

(PRWEB) February 06, 2012

Best-selling author Peter Senese continues his dedication to help defenseless children and their parents targeted for international abduction by supporting the I CARE Foundation, while creating an educational social campaign to help raise awareness of the gravity of international child abduction. Pacifica TWST and Peter Senese are pleased to announce the exclusive Amazon E-book release of "Chasing the Cyclone" that is being hailed by numerous Amazon's Hall of Fame book reviewers and readers everywhere as a fast paced suspense thriller wrapped within the ultimate love story between a father and his son. Inspired by the best-selling author's harrowing experience of racing into the dark and dangerous storms of having a child internationally abducted to the other side of the world, and a father's willingness to stop everything in his life to fight incredible odds to find and reunite with him, critics and readers alike calling "Chasing the Cyclone" by Peter Senese the ultimate love story that every loving parent should read.

The highly anticipated novel book critics and child advocates are praising is being hailed as a heart-pounding legal thriller with a purpose as the story's plot line not only provides great and much needed insight into the growing global problem of international child abduction that targets hundreds of thousands of North American children alone each year according to Senese's previously published resource guide on abduction titled "The World Turned Upside Down," but it is being hailed as a must read book for every at-risk parent of abduction.

The electrifying novel that darts around the world that has caused more than a few e-book readers to toss their reading device due to Senese's story and ability to enrapture the reader as if they are one with the story's main protagonist, Paul Francesco, has been called by many as a unique novel with potential epic social ramifications. Senese's thriller has been called a call-to-arms against child abduction, while proceeds from the novel have been used to help build a large pro bono attorney network of lawyers willing to assist parents who have children targeted for abduction, as Peter Thomas Senese has made significant donations to the I CARE Foundation, something he has pledged to continue to do.

"Chasing the Cyclone" is presently available exclusively in E-book on Amazon until February, when the novel will be released worldwide in hardcover. Peter Thomas Senese, who is the founding director of the I CARE Foundation, a not-for-profit organization created to help prevent international child abduction, is donating 100% of his author royalties to the foundation that remarkably reunited 4 different families with their abducted children. Mr. Senese commented, "When I was 'Chasing the Cyclone' of child abduction, I made a promise to my God that one day I would come back to this fight, and make a difference for other children and their parents. In donating my royalties to the I CARE Foundation, we were able to help reunite children who were criminally abducted with their families. So in this sense, I suppose, readers of my novels have a direct and measurable way to participate in helping children."

Peter Thomas Senese commented, "'Chasing the Cyclone' is the story of the greatest type of love of all: the love and commitment a parent holds for their child. Imagine having a complete life, filled with all the niceties you can imagine, when suddenly your defenseless child is used in the most unthinkable of schemes intended to cause you great hurt, and is criminally abducted to some unknown place on the other side of the world. Now imagine that the only thing that stands between bringing your child home or having your child lost forever, is you and your willingness to face the ultimate sacrifice. Well, that is what happens when a parent finds themselves "Chasing the Cyclone" of international child abduction.

Amazon's renowned Hall of Fame reviewers are praising Senese's international legal thriller "Chasing the Cyclone"as an electrifying love story fans of high suspense thrillers should read. "Chasing the Cyclone," presently available exclusively as an E-book on Amazon in E-book, is a heart-pounding story of father's search for his internationally abducted child inspired by the author's own experience chasing the cyclones of abduction.

Amazon Hall of Fame book reviewer Daniel Jolley commented, "'Chasing the Cyclone' isn't just a powerful novel; it's a call to arms against a growing epidemic that is tearing lives apart behind the headlines... 'Chasing the Cyclone' is much more than just a superb, can't-put-down novel, though; it is a book with a purpose... Peter Thomas Senese has become an outspoken advocate on this issue, and 'Chasing the Cyclone' makes for a clear and profoundly effective call to action. I would go so far as to encourage every loving parent to read this book, as the bond between this father and son is one to be emulated..."

Amazon Hall of Fame book reviewer Harriett Klausner added, "This is an exciting cautionary thriller that grips readers from the onset . . . "Chasing the Cyclone" will shake the audience, this exciting cautionary thriller grips readers from the onset..."

Dr. Grady Harp, a highly respected Amazon Hall Of Fame book reviewer said, "Peter Thomas Senese now opens the windows on the magnitude of these tragedies in his excellent "Chasing the Cyclone"... As if the fast paced energy of this story weren't enough to satisfy the reader, Peter Thomas Senese demonstrates his quality as a writer of distinction on many levels... this impossible to put down book..."

Peter Thomas Senese added, "When I think of 'Chasing the Cyclone', I think of the ultimate and unbowed love a father has for his child. Granted, the circumstances of the story's main character Paul Francesco finds himself in are unthinkable and may make no sense . . . unless of course, you are a parent who knows abduction, thus, this is a legal thriller of immeasurable proportions, however, for me . . . and based upon my own experiences, "Chasing the Cyclone" is the ultimate love story between a parent and their child."

Peter Thomas Senese is also donating all author royalties generated from e-book sales of "The Den of the Assassin" and "Cloning Christ" to the I CARE Foundation. The author has been extensively involved in various state and federal legislative initiatives created or implemented to stop child abduction, while also publishing extensive research reports, essays, and books on child abduction prevention. "Chasing Parents: Racing Into The Storms Of International Parental Child Abduction" produced and narrated by Peter Thomas Senese is an extensive educational documentary film series of international child abduction that has been widely distributed worldwide.

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Child Abduction Prevention Act bill in Florida (HB787 and SB1862) Move Forward As Advocates and Lawmakers Push For Child Protection Laws

St. Petersburg, Los Angeles, New York

MARCH 16th, 2010



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Lawmakers in Florida’s Legislature Move Forward On ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ Bill As A Growing Number Of Citizens Express Intolerance Of Acts Of Parental Child Abduction.

Florida’s legislature is moving forward on a strong parental child abduction prevention bill as lawmakers in the state and across the country have come to realize the unmistakable immediate necessity to place protective laws against abduction in order to protect the hundreds of thousands of defenseless children who are criminally stolen and abused.

The ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ (CAPA) bill, known in the Florida Senate as SB1862 and in Florida’s House of Representatives as adjoining bill HB787, if passed, will amend Florida Statute §61.45 by adding certain risk factors of child abduction and provides a list of preventative measures a judge may use to prevent these abductions from occurring. Inclusion of these provisions will strengthen Florida’s weak law and bring it into conformity with the ‘Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act’ (UPACA), which has been enacted by ten states. In a nation where there are over 370,000 parental child abductions that occur each year, a number that apparently is growing, the ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ clearly will prevent the number of abductions within the state of Florida, if passed.

The bill was filed by children’s advocate and champion Representative Daryl Rouson, and has been referred to Florida ’s House of Representatives ‘Public Safety and Domestic Security Policy Committee’. Representative Rouson has demonstrated throughout his career a willingness to take great initiative to assist children.

Representative Kevin Ambler, who heads the ‘Public Safety and Domestic Security Policy Committee’ is no stranger to the family law issues. A portion of Representative Ambler’s law practice focused on family law and children’s welfare. Representative Ambler has placed the bill on his committee’s hearing schedule for Tuesday, March 23rd. The hopes and safety of hundreds of thousands of children in the state who may one day be at risk now rest on Representative Ambler’s ‘Public Safety and Domestic Security Policy Committee’, and the committee chairman’s advocacy for innocent, defenseless children who are at risk of abduction.

Peter Thomas Senese, the author of the critically acclaimed upcoming book ‘Chasing The Cyclone’ and producer of the documentary film ‘Chasing Parents: Racing Into the Storms of International Parental Child Abduction’ stated “Representative Ambler and the rest of the committee members have a very unique and exciting opportunity to make in immediate and long-lasting impact in Florida state law in the name of the best interest of children next week by passing through committee the ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ bill. I speak from personal experience when I say that if preventive laws, including a court’s ability to weigh and assess risk factors associated with potential parental child abduction did exist, I would not be speaking out on this issue the way I am. Unfortunately, that is not the case. But there is hope in Florida, and it now rests on Representative Ambler’s shoulders to demonstrate leadership for our children by passing this critically important bill.”

On Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 the State of Florida took a major first step in protecting that state’s children from the horror of parental child abduction. In a bill sponsored by Senator Eleanor Sobel, a unanimous vote of eight ‘Yeas’ and zero ‘Nays’ occurred before the Florida State Senate’s ‘Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee’, the Senate moved through its first committee the critically important ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’. The Senate’s next step is to have the bill voted on by its ‘Judiciary Committee’, which should happen in the forthcoming weeks. If the bill passes a Judiciary Committee vote, it will then move forward to the ‘Civil Justice Appropriations Committee’, before a final vote before the Senate.

Carolyn Ann Vlk, the author of the ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ bill now before the House and Senate stated, “Please carefully consider what we are attempting to implement. In my humble opinion the biggest obstacle we face is a lack of education across the board . . . parents, judges, family court personnel, and policy makers. This deficiency has served to empower potential abductors and compromises the safety of children. Without risk assessment in determining where a credible risk exists, decisions are made that could place a child in unnecessary danger. Parental child abduction is a national tragedy and an immediate remedy is necessary. Please join us in our efforts to protect our most vulnerable members of society - our children."

Floridian resident Larry Synclair, the author of our nation’s first state preventive laws (California) adds, “HB 787 illustrates the need to prevent parental abduction and other states should take similar action. When I sat down to research and write the draft of a bill that would later become the Synclair-Cannon Act, I felt compelled to close gaps in a state’s legal system that allowed children to fall into the hands of abducting parents. California saw the need for the bill and quickly incorporated it into their family code. Today, parents from other states have boldly stepped up to demand laws that will protect their children from this horrific crime that is often ignored by judicial officials. Florida’s HB 787 calls for an implementation of measures that could hinder future acts of abduction. Children need more legislation like this to protect them from this escalating crime."

Bryan Lee McGlothin, author of ‘Have You Seen My Mother: True Story of Parental Abduction’ stated it best, by reminding the citizens of Florida that "Children have rights and those rights include having both parents in the child's life.”

Collectively, Florida’s lawmakers and advocates pass urge the citizens of Florida to contact their local representatives and urge them to support the ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ now before its legislative body.

“The reality is that none of us who speak out on this issue would be doing so if we did not experience first-hand the nightmare of child abduction. Truth is, most of us didn’t even know what parental child abduction was, or just how severe of a crime this is against our children,” Peter Thomas Senese added. “I personally urge every lawmaker to stand behind Representative Rouson and Senator Sobel’s initiative and draw a line in the sand, so to speak, in the name of protecting our children.”

www.floridachildabductionpreventionact.info or www.chasingthecyclone.com